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U.S. NEWS Friday 22 May 2020
Trump: U.S. may rethink decision to exit surveillance treaty

Continued from Front accusing the president of
“ramming” a withdrawal
He added: “I think so- from the treaty as the world
mething very positive will grapples with COVID-19.
work.” The U.S. announce- They said it would under-
ment that it plans to leave mine U.S. alliances with Eu-
the treaty is expected to ropean allies who rely on
strain relations with Mos- the treaty to keep Russia
cow and upset some accountable for its military
members of Congress and activities in the region.
European allies, which be- This month, 16 former se-
nefit from the imagery col- nior European military and
lected by Open Skies flights defense officials signed a
conducted by the U.S. statement supporting the
In Moscow, Russian Deputy treaty, saying a U.S. wit-
Foreign Minister Alexander hdrawal would be a blow
Grushko criticized the U.S. to global security and
decision. further undermine the in-
“Our position is absolutely ternational arms control
clear and is invariable: The agreements.
withdrawal of the US from If the U.S. and Russia exit,
this treaty will come as yet all U.S. and Russian territory
another blow to the sy- President Donald Trump talks to reporters before departing the White House for a trip to Michigan, would be off limits to the
stem of military security in Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Washington. Associated Press overflights. That prompts
Europe, which is already arms control experts like
weakened by the previous gotiating with both Russia have been conducted un- single upside to abando- Steve Pifer at the Brook-
moves by the administra- and China on a new arms der the treaty, aimed at fo- ning this treaty against the ings Institution to ask “What
tion,” Grushko told state control framework that stering transparency about advice and wishes of our would be the point?’” On
news agency Tass. moves beyond the Cold military activity and helping allies, other than for the the other hand, he said,
Trump’s national security War constructs of the past monitor arms control and people who never liked this Moscow could opt to stay
adviser Robert O’Brien said and helps keep the entire other agreements. Each treaty and don’t like the in the treaty, which would
the president has made world safe.,” O’Brien said in nation in the treaty agrees idea of the transparency at least allow it to continue
clear that the United States a statement. to make all its territory avai- and openness the treaty overflights of American fa-
will not remain a party to President Dwight Eisenho- lable for surveillance flights provides,” Bell said. cilities in Europe.
international agreements wer first proposed the Uni- and share all the imagery The U.S. has been working Senior administration offi-
being violated by the other ted States and the former collected, yet Russia has on a proposal to share with cials said Russian violations
parties and are no longer in Soviet Union allow aerial restricted flights over cer- partners and allies imagery include restricting flights
America’s interests. He said reconnaissance flights over tain areas. the U.S. would have shared over Moscow and Chechn-
Russian violations promp- each other’s territory in July Alexandra Bell, a former from its Open Skies flights, ya and near Abkhazia and
ted Trump last year to pull 1955. At first, Moscow rejec- State Department official said senior administration South Ossetia. Russian res-
out of the 1987 nuclear ted the idea, but President and currently the senior officials, who spoke on trictions also make it dif-
arms treaty with Russia. George H.W. Bush revived it policy director at the non- condition of anonymity to ficult to conduct observa-
That treaty, signed by Pre- in May 1989, and the treaty partisan nonprofit Center explain Trump’s decision. tion in the Kaliningrad, a
sident Ronald Reagan and entered into force in Janu- for Arms Control and Non- Last month, top Democrats Russian enclave sandwi-
Soviet leader Mikhail Gor- ary 2002. Thirty-four nations Proliferation, said withdra- on the Foreign Affairs and ched between Lithuania
bachev, banned produc- have signed it; Kyrgyzstan wal from Open Skies will rub Armed Services commit- and Poland that is home
tion, testing and deploy- has signed but not ratified allies the wrong way. tees in the House and the to Russia’s Baltic fleet, they
ment of land-based cruise it. More than 1,500 flights “I absolutely cannot see a Senate wrote to Trump said.q
and ballistic missiles with a
range of 500 to 5,500 kilo-
meters (310 to 3,410 miles). Cuba's top diplomat for U.S. relations says ties at new low

Trump’s decision to exit
the Open Skies Treaty also By CHRISTOPHER GILLETTE prove the relationship with
raises questions about his and ANDREA RODRIGUEZ Cuba," he said. Fernandez
commitment to extending Associated Press de Cossio says that in the
or renegotiating the New HAVANA (AP) — Cuba's case of the leadership of
START treaty, which expi- top diplomat in charge of the leftist National Libera-
res early next year. New relations with the United tion Army, or ELN, Cuba
START, the only remaining States said Thursday rela- is bound by international
treaty constraining the U.S. tions have sunk to a new guarantees, including a
and Russian nuclear arsen- low, and potentially could promise to the Colombian
als, imposes limits on the sink even lower with the government, to provide a
number of U.S. and Rus- appointment of Florida safe haven to the guerrilla's
sian long-range nuclear Sen. Marco Rubio as acting In this Dec. 12, 2018 file photo, Cuba's Director-General of while peace talks proceed.
warheads and launchers. chairman of the Senate In- U.S. Affairs Carlos Fernandez de Cossio makes a statement to The diplomat says there is
Russia has offered to ex- telligence Committee. reporters, in Havana, Cuba. Associated Press little communication be-
tend the treaty, but Trump Carlos Fernandez de Cos- tween the Cuban govern-
is holding out in hopes of sio decried the absence of rejected a U.S. government government, the State De- ment and the Trump Ad-
negotiating a three-way any diplomatic outreach letter that characterized partment, the Secretary of ministration on any level,
agreement with the U.S. after an attack on the Cu- Cuba as being "uncoop- State have made it very and that the prospect
and China. ban Embassy in Washing- erative" in the fight against clear that they have no for any discussions are
“We look forward to ne- ton D.C. last April 30, and terrorism. "The current U.S. interest whatsoever to im- remote.q